Maximum age limit radiocarbon dating fossils

Although, organic materials as old as 100,000 years potentially can be dated with AMS, dates older than 60,000 years are still rare.Paleoanthropologists and archaeologists must always be aware of possible radiocarbon sample contamination that could result in inaccurate dates.This causes them to give off their stored energy in the form of light impulses (photons). A similar effect can be brought about by stimulating the sample with infrared light.The intensity of thermoluminescence is directly related to the amount of accumulated changes produced by background radiation, which, in turn, varies with the age of the sample and the amount of trace radioactive elements it contains..Following death, however, no new carbon is consumed.

This will always be true due to the finite limits of measuring equipment.

In the example below, the bone must date to sometime between 1.75 and 1.5 million years ago.

For instance, a date of 100,000 5,000 years ago means that there is a high probability the date is in the range of 95,000 and 105,000 years ago and most likely is around 100,000.

It is also based on the fact that background radiation causes electrons to dislodge from their normal positions in atoms and become trapped in the crystalline lattice of the material.

When odd numbers of electrons are separated, there is a measurable change in the magnetic field (or spin) of the atoms.